1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shipping containers, and more particularly relates to an insulated shipping container for shipping fragile product, such as glass bottles containing a high value liquid material, such as medicine or fine wine, for example, and which is to be neither frozen or nor allowed to become too warm during transport. The container has a plurality of cavities therein for holding the glass bottles in physical isolation from one another, as well as providing a shock absorbing function, while holding and protecting a phase change coolant or warming material contained in flexible plastic packs in heat transfer relation to the bottles. The insulated container is configured and constructed to provide shock absorption, to provide temperature regulation for the contents of the bottles, and to protect the phase change coolant or warming material from shifting of the bottles during shipping, and in a predetermined relationship to the bottles in order to maintain a temperature controlled condition which is neither freezing or too warm, and for an extended period of time during transport by common carrier.
2. Related Technology
Traditionally, containers for shipping temperature sensitive products have generally included conventional cardboard shipping containers having an insulating material therein. The insulating material may be simple loose-fill Styrofoam “peanuts,” for example, in which a chunk of dry ice is placed along with the material to be shipped. Another variety of conventional insulated shipping container utilized panels or containers made of an insulating material, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). EPS is a relatively inexpensive insulating material, and it may be easily formed into a desired shape, has acceptable thermal insulating properties for many shipping needs, and may be encapsulated or faced with protective materials, such as plastic film or metal foil, or plastic film/metal foil laminates.
Containers including EPS are often provided in a modular form. Individual panels of EPS insulation, possibly wrapped in foil or the like, are preformed using conventional methods, typically with beveled edges. The panels are then inserted into a conventional cardboard box type of shipping container, one panel against each wall, to create an insulated cavity within the container. In this arrangement, the beveled edges of adjacent panels form seams at the corners of the container. A product is placed in the cavity and a plug, such as a thick polyether or polyester foam pad, is placed over the top of the product before the container is closed and prepared for shipping. In many cases, a coolant, such as packaged ice, gel packs, or loose dry ice, is placed around the product in the cavity to refrigerate the product during shipping.
Alternatively, an insulated body may be injection molded from expanded polystyrene, forming a cavity therein and having an open top to access the cavity. A product is placed in the cavity, typically along with coolant, and a cover is placed over the open end, such as the foam plug described above or a cover formed from EPS.
For shipping particularly sensitive products, such as certain medical or pharmaceutical products, expanded rigid polyurethane containers are often used, as expanded polyurethane has thermal properties generally superior to EPS. Typically, a cardboard container is provided having a box liner therein, defining a desired insulation space between the liner and the container. Polyurethane foam is injected into the insulation space, substantially filling the space and generally adhering to the container and the liner. The interior of the box liner provides a cavity into which a product and coolant may be placed. A foam plug may be placed over the product, or a lid may be formed from expanded polyurethane, typically having a flat or possibly an inverted top-hat shape.
With conventional shipping containers, the fact that the product and coolant are typically placed together within the cavity in the container, may have several adverse effects. When shipping certain products, it may be desired to refrigerate but not freeze the product. Placing a coolant, such as loose blocks of dry ice, into the cavity against the product may inadvertently freeze and damage the product. Even if held away from the product, the coolant may shift in the cavity during shipping, especially as it melts and shrinks in size, inadvertently contacting the product. In addition, with gel packs, if they become perforated then melted coolant may leak from the pack, possibly creating a mess within the cavity or even contaminating the product being shipped.
Finally, polyurethane containers of the type using two cardboard boxes nested together with polyurethane injected into the space between these boxes may also create a disposal problem. When polyurethane is injected into such a container, it generally adheres substantially to the walls of both the inner and the outer cardboard box. Thus, the cardboard and insulation components may have to be disposed of together, preventing recycling of the container.
Further, when temperature sensitive materials are shipped in winter time, there is a need to prevent low ambient temperatures from freezing the product being shipped.
Especially, the shipping of fine wines by common carrier presents many challenges. The market for fine wines includes considerations not only of the taste of the wine (which must not be frozen or allowed to become too warm, but of the condition of the bottle and even of the label on that bottle. That is, fine wine collectors don't want even the label to be pealed or scuffed on a collector-quality bottle of wine. Of course, old wine bottles themselves are somewhat fragile, because of the weight of the wine and the size of the bottles. Thus, considerable physical protection must be provided to a wine bottle in order to ship it by common carrier. Presently, a heavy weight cardboard box containing a molded Styrofoam filler with cavities specifically configured to receive the wine bottles is commonly used for wine shipment by common carrier. This shipping box has no provisions for temperature regulation of the wine, so that shipments are limited to spring and fall weeks during which ambient temperatures are neither too hot or too cold. That is, shipments of fine wines now are not generally made during summer months or during winter time for fear that the wine will be ruined by being frozen or by becoming too warm during transport.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved shipping container to maintain temperature sensitive material, such as fine wine and medicines, in a temperature controlled condition which is not freezing or too warm during transport and over an extended period of time.